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UAE Declares 2023 the ‘Year of Sustainability'

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy presented several clean energy and water projects in the emirate during the recently concluded Sustainability Week (WAM)
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy presented several clean energy and water projects in the emirate during the recently concluded Sustainability Week (WAM)
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UAE Declares 2023 the ‘Year of Sustainability'

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy presented several clean energy and water projects in the emirate during the recently concluded Sustainability Week (WAM)
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy presented several clean energy and water projects in the emirate during the recently concluded Sustainability Week (WAM)

The United Arab Emirates’ President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has declared 2023 the “Year of Sustainability” under the slogan “Today for Tomorrow.”

The "Year of Sustainability" will include several initiatives, activities, and events that draw upon the UAE's deep-rooted values of sustainability.

It will also focus on raising awareness about environmental sustainability and encouraging collective action toward achieving sustainable development and supporting national strategies.

The year also aims to showcase the UAE’s commitment to fostering a global collaboration in seeking innovative solutions to challenges, such as energy, climate change, and other pressing issues related to sustainability.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed would oversee the initiatives of the “Year of Sustainability”.

“Sustainability has been a fundamental principle in the United Arab Emirates since its unification. The nation continues to serve as an exceptional model for environmental conservation and resource management, “said the UAE President.

“Today for Tomorrow embodies the UAE’s approach and commitment to sustainability and its responsibility to protect the future. By working, making efforts, and initiating actions today, we are ensuring that we leave behind a legacy of stewardship for future generations, just as our ancestors did for us.”

President Sheikh Mohamed emphasized that the Year of Sustainability has particular significance as the UAE prepares to host the 28th United Nations climate change summit, the Conference of Parties (COP28).

He said that the UAE is determined for COP28 to set a precedent in the collective global efforts to address climate change.

He invited community members and institutions to engage with related initiatives and activities.

The announcement comes following the successful conclusion of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023.

This further cements the UAE's position as a leader in promoting sustainability awareness both domestically and internationally and reinforces its commitment to tackling the challenges associated with it.

The UAE has long been a leader in promoting clean energy and building effective partnerships for the benefit of the global community.

One notable partnership is the UAE-US Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), which will catalyze $100 billion in implementing clean energy projects in the UAE, the US, and the world.

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Gulf

Gulf-EU Summit Calls for ‘Immediate Ceasefire’ in Gaza, Lebanon

European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud stand as they pose for a family photo during the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud stand as they pose for a family photo during the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
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Gulf-EU Summit Calls for ‘Immediate Ceasefire’ in Gaza, Lebanon

European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud stand as they pose for a family photo during the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud stand as they pose for a family photo during the joint European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Johanna Geron

The leaders of the European Union and six Gulf nations held an inaugural summit Wednesday, encompassing everything from visas and trade to the situation in the Middle East.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was in Brussels for the summit.

A joint statement said the leaders committed to the EU-GCC Strategic Partnership and pledged to elevate it to the next level. “We agree to build our Strategic Partnership, based on mutual respect and trust, for the benefit of the people of our regions and beyond,” it said.

On Gaza, the EU and Gulf leaders called for “an immediate, full and complete ceasefire, the release of hostages, the exchange of the Palestinian prisoners as well as immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to civilian population, including the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza strip to all Palestinian civilians who need it.”

They also reaffirmed their “unwavering commitment to the realization of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination through the Two-State solution where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, along the 1967 lines, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.”

The leaders expressed deep concern over the Israeli military operations in the West Bank, and called for their immediate end. They also strongly condemned the ongoing extremist settler violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

On Lebanon, they called for an “immediate ceasefire” and stressed the need to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls on Hezbollah to withdraw to the north of Litani river.

They condemned all attacks against UN missions and expressed particularly “grave concerns” regarding the recent Israeli attacks against peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

At the summit, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said: “Reviving the peace process in the Middle East to fulfil the Palestinian people's aspirations for establishing an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders, remains the sole path to achieving security and stability in the region.”

"While we express our deep sorrow and frustration over the atrocities inflicted upon our Palestinian brothers and sisters, we reaffirm the GCC's long-standing position advocating for an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian relief teams” to the Gaza Strip.

“We categorically reject the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza and stress the need to adhere to international law and humanitarian law. This mandates that we take necessary measures to advance collective efforts to halt this war and pressure Israel to permit humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian people," Albudaiwi said.

He added that the failure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza has led to escalating tensions in Palestinian territories and a spillover of conflict into Lebanon.

On Iran, the summit’s statement called on the country “to pursue regional de-escalation” and said: "We share a clear determination that Iran must never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.”

The leaders also demanded that the Iran-backed “Houthis halt attacks against vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, release crew and avoid any further escalatory measures that threaten global security and stability.”